Byzantine Frescoes
Jesus Appears Before Mary Magdalene Art Print by Giotto di Bondone
Jesus Appears Before Mary Magdalene Art Print by Giotto di Bondone

This is a Byzantine frescoe named, "Jesus appears before Mary Magdalene" by Giotto di Bondone. I chose this frecoe because I could not find any other religious Byzantine frescoe to do for my project. I liked the colors and that it is of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I think that the white flag carried by Jesus is a symbol of purity and freedom of sin. It is interesting to notice that the shepherds have fallen asleep, and that they missed Jesus when he came.

Byzantine frescoes reveal much about the Life and Ministry of Christ. An interesting feature of these designs, is the use of perspective in the treatment of space. The fresco decorations reveal an interest in the treatment of space and movement. In this frescoe, one can see the presence of space and distance in the background of the picture. The aspect of movement is evident as Jesus is shown walking and Mary Magdalene shown crawling at His feet. These specific characteristics make the frescoe representative of Byzantine art.

Although not much is known about this frescoe, much is know about its artist, Giotto di Bondone. Giotto dramatically altered Western European painting by using naturalism, perspective and three-dimensionality. His brilliant religious works include frescoes, mosaics and statues. He altered the Renaissance, and even Michelangelo studied his art and paintings. He lived from 1266 until 1337.


Works Cited

AllPosters.com - The World's Largest Poster and Print Store! 12 Dec. 2006. 01 Feb. 2009 <http://www.allposters.com>.